Chapter 26: An Address to the World
Shouta Aizawa groaned, as he took in everything that Yaoyorozu told him about. So, the mission went pear-shaped, that much he figured. Trying to have secret peace talks behind the back of a country's supreme leader tended to have that effect. But the rest of this shit…?
Apparently, the Todoroki siblings had planned a coup to overthrow their dear daddy, with both their nation's military, and international allies backing it. However, it wasn't enough. From the reports they were given, Enji Todoroki was a monster on the battlefield. They wouldn't be able to take him down unless someone with a massive amount of firepower decided to join the fight.
And then the Japanese Self-Defense Force walked in.
The children of the biggest menace on the continent figured that the JSDF was their magic bullet to win their little war, and given how the SREU made a name for themselves in less than two months, finding a way to contact them was as easy as pie. So, they approached them under the pretense of "peace talks," only to have them fall apart before they could even start.
The way Tartarus was described to him, Shouta would have assumed that the architect behind that place was also the mastermind behind some of the worst prisons on planet Earth, but it was somehow even worse than that, because for as inhuman and pure evil the those were, they at least didn't decided to keep their prisoners suspended above a literal pool of fucking lava, left to fend for themselves with less than minimal supervision from the guards, and have the place guarded by some sort of two-headed monster from, quite possibly, the literal pits Hell itself.
So, yeah, when your government is compared to those that considered the proper treatment of prisoners as a joke, and somehow the latter was preferable, you know you've fucked up.
And then there was the breakout. While Shouta was glad to know that Yaoyorozu spent less than a day there, he still hated the fact that Bakugou decided to stay behind and do a reenactment of Pompeii. On the one hand, sure, it meant that no one would ever be subjected to that human rights violation ever again, but on the other hand, his actions apparently caused an earthquake along with some volcanic eruptions, but that wasn't even the worst part.
The worst part was that Bakugou was left behind.
Looking up from the report, Shouta met the eyes of his prized student. "We'll have Bakugou declared missing in action, but we won't inform his family just yet. We don't want to cause them unneeded stress only for him to pop back up a few days later. However, I can only delay that for so long. If he still doesn't turn up by the end of this… I'll have no choice but to inform them."
"I understand completely, sir," Yaoyorozu said. "And Kirishima?"
Right, there was also that problem to deal with. On their way back from their botched mission, the squad noticed that Kirishima wasn't on the airship with them. They weren't sure whether he slipped away to track down Bakugou during all the chaos or if he somehow disappeared even earlier, but for whatever reason, he wasn't with the team during the extraction.
"He'll also be declared missing in action as of now," Shouta said. "There's not much we can do for him now. All we can do is hope that both he and Bakugou are on their way here now."
He could see his protege wince at that. Yeah, he understood the feeling completely. Still, she maintained her professional stance and asked, "What happens now?"
"Now? Two members of an opposing nation's royal family are seeking an audience with our country's government. Additionally, several of our reports and findings about this place have been leaked to the public while you were gone, we're not sure how," Shouta infomed her. "Chances are, in a few days from now, the National Diet will have an investigation and hearing that will be televised nation-wide, concerning both your past and current missions. Not only that, but they'll probably also hear the Todoroki kids' pleas for military aid and put a vote on it."
Her eyes widened at that. "A hearing? You mean…?"
"Yep. Lieutenant Yaoyorozu, gather your most trusted teammates and allies, locals included, put on your fanciest clothes, and head on back to Japan: You're all about to take the stand."
Flying over the clouds, Eri scanned the world below, as she finally found what she was looking for. After two months of searching, she finally reached her destination: The Collibus Hills.
Could she have gotten there faster? Sure, if she didn't stop to sleep every night, but she needed rest; she wasn't exactly an airship that could traverse the entire continent in just a few days. No she was a dragon, she needed food, and more than that, she still had a job that needed her to check on the surrounding regions before she could go on her big brother's mission.
Contrary to popular belief, the Demon King didn't just constantly sulk around his dark castle plotting his next evil scheme; he was an actual leader, with an actual nation to govern, and in order to do that successfully, he needed people to do the on-the-ground work.
And that's where the Demon Lords and the governed territories came into play.
Sure, traditionally speaking, the primary purpose of the Demon Lords was to carry out the personal orders of the Demon King, which mostly involved military operations, but they were capable of actually running a government. Hell, the main jobs of Tenko and Nedzu were administrative, not combat. And the governors of Daemonium had the responsibility of taking care of the various different regions within the country, sometimes with the help of the Demon Lords, especially now when everyone can feel that something is… off.
It certainly wasn't the arrival of the Japanese people, but it did happen around the same time. It was as if something awful had come back, something that she hadn't experienced since…
Eri suppressed the thought. It wasn't time to think about it now. Izuku gave her a job: Go to the Collibus Hills, investigate the people there, and get out without making a scene. Quickly, she landed in one of the nearby grass plains, far enough that no one near the place would set off the alarm; dragons were known to make any settlement they were near extremely nervous.
Thankfully, even at her young age, she had gained the power needed to change her appearance. In a blast of magic that lasted for mere seconds, her bluish-pink, butterfly-like wings disappeared into her back, the spikes all over her body receded, her tail was gone, the horns on her head shrank, and white her scales changed into soft, almost pale, skin.
Gone was the large flying reptile, now replaced with a girl seemingly in her mid to late teens. She had red eyes and long, white hair flowed from her head, with the only things proving that she was not human were the two small, curved horns on the top of her head.
Looking down, Eri smiled to see that her clothes were still intact. She had to admit, magical thread was pretty awesome. She remembered back in the earlier years that her normal clothes would be destroyed every time she transformed, leaving her naked. Talk about embarrassing.
Still, she gave her current outfit a quick look-over. Short pink dress that went down to her knees, blue sash and bow, and excellent-quality hiking boots. Looks like she was ready.
Looking over the horizon, she could see where there was now a settlement. Her feet began to move, as she made her way towards the town, ready to begin her mission.
"I have to admit, this architecture is quite impressive…" Fuyumi murmured.
Shoto nodded along. "I agree, this place is so… otherworldly…"
Momo rolled her eyes as the two Todoroki siblings admired the buildings all around them. Eight in the morning, and the sun was already up. Sure, summer may have technically ended, and the days were indeed getting shorter, but it was still early fall, it wouldn't be cold just yet.
But with the lighting they currently had, she could understand how, from their perspective, this place seemed like the closest thing to Heaven. Buildings made of steel and glass all around them, clean and flat streets, and colorful technological wonders of every kind.
Or as Momo understood them, billboards and stop lights.
The last three days were a bit of a madhouse, as Momo scrambled to figure out who exactly would be going to Tokyo, and how much would they need to prepare for. Naturally, both the Todoroki siblings and Melissa would be coming, but Aizawa told her they needed a few people from the Special Region to act as character witnesses for the SREU.
So, Momo ended up bringing Pony Tsunotori and Denki Jiro alongside them. Originally, she wanted both of the Jiros to come with them, but the blond bard insisted not to add any more unnecessary stress to their unborn infant by bringing Kyoka to the other side.
Aside from that, Momo and a few more members of her team taught a quick crash course in Japanese basics for their guests, with the Todoroki siblings absorbing the knowledge best. While Momo and her team would be acting a bit as translators when it came to the Diet, it would be imperative that they at least knew the basics, in case of an emergency.
Also in the event of an emergency, Momo picked six members of her team to also act as a security deal for the witnesses. Both in order to ensure the paparazzi didn't try anything funny, along with making sure no maniac would attempt any sort of assassination whatsoever.
So, in total that was five locals from the Special Region, alongside herself, Monoma, Kendo, Awase, Rin, Kaibara and Tsuburaba acting as translators, guides, and guards.
Well, they actually wouldn't be completely alone.
"Ah, you're here; perfect."
"Hm?" Momo and a few of her subordinates returned around to see a man in a hat and jacket, along with a couple of police behind him. "Who are you? Public security?"
"Close," the man said. "I'm Naomasa Tsukauchi, a member of the National Defense Intelligence headquarters. My associates and I are here to escort you and your colleagues to the National Diet building in one piece. You know, avoiding the press, and all that."
"I see," the black-haired woman said, as she noticed the large gray bus pull up. "Melissa, tell our friends to take a seat inside, I have a few more things to say to our friend here."
The disguised angel nodded, as she gestured to the others to head towards the bus, while Momo walked up to Tsukauchi. "If you're with Intelligence, then you probably know who I am?"
"I did a little research," Naomasa said, pulling out a notebook. "You're the daughter of the Yaoyorozu conglomerate, who decided to go into the military. From there, you were top of your class in the course for basic officers. When Aizawa took notice of you, he sent you to become a Ranger, and then Special Forces. I have to admit, that's quite impressive. But… why?"
"Why what?" Momo asked. "Why did I decide to join the JSDF?"
"Yes, that," Naomasa said. "I don't mean to be rude, but you were born in the lap of luxury. And given your school records, it was clear that your family's empire would be in good hands when you inherited it. So, why did you leave all that, just to become a soldier?"
Momo just shrugged, as she turned around, and climbed into the bus.
Kota Izumi hated this stupid fucking place.
Less than four months ago, that stupid gate appeared in the middle of Musutafu, with those asshole bastards pouring out from the other side, killing everyone in sight. And now the government decided to build a town here to… what? Sing kumbaya with them?!
Fuck no! They should be sending the JSDF out there to wipe those monsters of the fucking map! Because of them, hundreds of people lost their families! Because of them… he…
Kota shook his head. It didn't matter. Killing them wouldn't bring back his Mom and Dad, and he had to accept that. And while he was grateful that Aunt Shino took him in, did she really have to bring him along here? Sure, he understood that she was a colonel in the army, and that for some reason, Aizawa wanted to talk to her about this place, but… come on!
He knew they were family, but he honestly didn't think the army would be dumb enough to bring a teenager here, one with, you know, a phone capable of recording shit. Then again, he heard that Yaoyorozu already left here with some of the locals for some kind of press thing, so maybe by the time he went back home, everything he took a pic of would now be public knowledge.
Yaoyorozu… he liked her. She was the one everyone was giving credit for fighting off the bad guys in the initial attack, but… she was also there when he was alone in that crowd of people. She was the one that tried to help him find his folks, even if it was too late.
To be honest, she deserved to be a national hero. Maybe this is what that press thing is about, now that he thought about it. But he wouldn't know until he got back home.
In the meantime, he had to hang around this dump while his aunt was done discussing whatever it was with Aizawa. What was he supposed to do in the meantime, just walk around the town near the base? He'd seen enough monsters and fantasy creatures watching Lord of the Rings as a kid, he didn't need to see more of them, thank you very much.
Maybe he could ask one of the local soldiers what the point of this town was, anyways…
"Salve!"
Kota turned around to see… a girl. From the looks of it, it was some chick around his age, wearing a pink dress with some blue accessories. Kota would have immediately written her off if it wasn't for the fact that she had white hair, red eyes, and two horns on the top of her head. So, given her odd appearance and language she used, she was clearly a Special Region local.
While Kota had a severe dislike for the Special Region in general, he wasn't a complete asshole, so rather than his first instinct of yelling slurs at the girl, he just tried to ignore her. Unfortunately, when he turned back around, she was still there, staring at him.
"Umm… go away?"
The girl actually had the audacity of giggling, before saying, "Tu es bellus."
Kota didn't actually know what the local language was here, so he couldn't exactly tell if he was being made fun of, so he figured that getting angry at her was probably not only a waste of time, but would probably make him look like a dick to everyone nearby. Sighing, he said, "Look, lady, uhh… I. Don't. Speak. Your. Language. So, maybe find someone else, okay?"
"Meum nomen est Eri Shigaraki. Quid est tibi nomen?"
Okay, he understood when someone was given him their name. So, even if what she was saying was complete gibberish to him, he had enough context clues to understand that she was probably asking for his name. "Why am I doing this…? Ugh. I'm… Kota Izumi."
Looks like he made himself a friend. Even if he couldn't understand what she was saying.
The bus ride to Tokyo only lasted for a few hours, but somehow, it felt like it was somehow both as fast as a travel montage in a movie, and as long as a real-life American election.
In terms of being mercifully short, both Pony and Denki (they insisted Momo used their given names), were completely mesmerized by everything they were looking at, always asking questions about how those giant images on the buildings could be moving, or what that small two-wheeled thing that just sped past them was, or what kind of food there was.
In terms of being painfully long, Momo had to deal with the constant bullshit the Chaos Corps quartet was doing. Specifically, showing Shoto the wonders of the internet.
On paper, it sounded like a good idea: It was a global network that provided a variety of communication and information for billions on Earth, while also providing niches for private, public, government, educational, commercial and entertainment interests.
Unfortunately, much like socialism, when it came to the real world, such good ideas usually ended up corrupted, and resulted with someone becoming politically radicalized.
While Momo and Fuyumi talked about the government, Kendo showed Pony the wonders of American history, and Monoma showed Denki all the genres of music Earth had to offer… Awase, Rin, Kaibara and Tsuburaba decided to show Shoto the wonderful world of YouTube.
And, unfortunately, if Momo knew one thing about the platform, its algorithm was designed to make sure viewers stayed on the platform for as long as possible. And given that there were now four people trying to show a person new to YouTube everything, it would be a mess.
Sadly, she was too busy with Fuyumi at the time to prevent the disaster.
It started innocent enough, with some do-it-yourself indoor swimming pool video, followed by some life hacks, and then by chiropractic sessions, but then quickly devolved into something in a language Momo didn't understand, followed by content farms, car crashes, a video on the Bermuda Triangle, and finally, into the hellish rabbit hole that was conspiracy theories.
By the time the bus was in Chiyoda City, Kendo was lecturing the four idiots on the dangers of misinformation, while Momo had to now explain to Shoto the delicate socio-political issues of the Middle East, along with how, no, jet chemical trails aren't turning the frickin' frogs gay.
Thankfully, that didn't last long, as the bus pulled into the National Diet's parking lot, where everyone unloaded. Momo gave everyone a quick reminder to let her do most of the talking, and when they are addressed, to be very careful with their words. And just in time, too, as one of the most powerful men in all of Japan just strolled up to them as soon as she was done talking.
"Lieutenant Yaoyorozu. And I see that our guests of honor are also here," the current Prime Minister of Japan, Yokumiru Mera, said, as he bowed before the five of them. "On behalf of the Japanese government, we welcome you with open arms, in hopes of a better future."
Momo quickly translated what he said to their guests, with Fuyumi replying in acknowledgement. With the small introductions out of the way, everyone walked towards the building, as Momo noticed that there seemed to be more parked cars than usual.
"Prime Minister, should we be expecting a full house?" Kendo asked.
"Even more than that," Mera admitted. "When word got out that this particular session would be heard, the international community demanded eyes and ears within the room. Eventually, we relented, allowing representatives from the United Nations to be in attendance today, along with having cameramen from every major news network from all around the world inside."
Wait… WHAT?!
Fuyumi must have noticed Momo's face become pale, as she quickly asked if everything was alright. The raven-haired soldier nodded, as she explained to everyone how, instead of simply addressing Japan, now the eyes of the entire world would be watching them.
No pressure.
"Over three months have passed since the Mustafu Incident," the woman announced into the microphone, and to the cameras. "Today will be the first question-answer period of the Diet. Several witnesses have been invited to testify, including members of the JSDF…"
The woman was drowned out, as the doors to the main legislative room opened up, with cameras flashing and reporters starting to demand questions from those entering. Everyone, from the most powerful of world leaders, to the most average of citizens, was now watching.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we will now begin questioning the witnesses."
"I'm going to be as straightforward as possible," one of the members of the Diet, Koku Hanabata, said. "The Self-Defense Force has given us multiple reports regarding what can best be described as "near-death experiences," involving several of the local wildlife within the Special Region, which could have potentially led to the deaths of multiple soldiers."
"First Lieutenant Momo Yaoyorozu."
The black-haired woman stood up from her seat, and walked up to the stand. Bending down towards the microphone, she said, "Yes. We had several… monster encounters."
Several members of the Diet murmured amongst themselves, as Hanabata continued. "And what do you mean by that? Your subordinates could have died, along with the civilian woman you have been using as a guide. Couldn't you have done more to protect them?"
"Sir, all the members of the Special Region Exploration Unit are trained soldiers who are well-aware of the potential risks that come with the occupation," Yaoyorozu explained. "Additionally, while Melissa Shield is indeed a civilian, she is a trained fighter who knows more about the Special Region than all of us combined; she does not need protection."
"So, then, are you telling me that the SREU couldn't fight them off?"
"No, I'm saying that different creatures require different methods in order to successfully combat them. I mean, bullets can only do so much when the enemy you're facing is covered in two meters of muscle and fur, while also being capable of evaporating you," she said. "In fact, for a more clear picture, I would like to request Private First Class Hiryu Rin to the stand."
The members of the Diet allowed that, as Rin made his way to the stand. "Uh, yeah, so, as the zoologist on the SREU, I have observed that multiple organisms within the Special Region seem to have taken to various evolutionary plans which would have placed early humanity at the bottom of the food chain, including Cope's rule of gigantism. Our current theory is that something within the Special Region allows the local life there to mutate exponentially, creating several new subspecies and unique creatures in the span of a few thousand years rather than a few million. To put it simply, we adapted. Using standard military protocol against something that violates the natural order of our world would have been reckless. You can't simply fight off every creature you encounter with the same weapon, unless it's something capable of wiping out entire ecosystems, and I'm sure that the Diet would disapprove of something like that… right?"
"Very well," Hanabata said. "I'd like to call Melissa Shield to the stand."
The blonde woman, concealing her wings, stood from her seat, as she took the stand. Unless Hanabata decided to ask about her lineage, there was no need to let the whole world know.
"Do you understand Japanese?" the politician asked.
"Yes," Shield answered. "I can speak it fluently."
"Then let's get started. I'd like to take a moment to address how, as a civilian, you are currently in the care of the JSDF. Do you have any restrictions within the Collibus Hills base?"
"I have travel restrictions, yes. I'm advised not to leave the base unless on a mission, but those are more like suggestions. I can leave whenever I want, and your soldiers can't stop me."
Hanabata pried further into that. "What do you mean by, they can't stop you?"
The blonde woman answered, "The soldiers and weapons of the JSDF are physically incapable of stopping me. I can leave their base whenever I desire. I help them because I choose to."
"Really? If you're as powerful as you claim, then how can we trust you?"
"I can assure you, sir, I am an ally of both Yaoyorozu, and your nation."
After that line of questioning, Hanabata called someone else to the stand. "I'm a minotaur from the hidden Palus Village. I'm the daughter of the chieftess, Kau Redi… Pony Tsunotori."
Hanabata stared at the woman across from him. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I have to ask you this… are those horns, ears, tail, and other bovine-esque features of yours actually real?"
After being provided with a quick translation by Yaoyorozu, the horned woman nodded, wiggling her ears. "Sure! These are my horns, ears, and tail! Would you like to touch them?"
The cameras flashed and the people in the room were in an uproar, as Tsunotori kept swishing her tail around, until the main speaker told everyone to quiet down. Hanabata steadied himself again, as he asked, "Tsunotori-san, the report says that the SREU helped drive off an… enemy of yours… from your village home. Did you witness them actually do the deed?"
"I and the rest of my village saw the aftermath of their heroic feat, yes."
Hanabata sighed. "Very well, then. The next witness, please!"
"Denki Jiro, would you please take the stand?"
The man with black-and-yellow hair, wearing some odd, yet formal, clothes walked up and took the stand. "Please state your full name," Hanabata asked, as Yaoyorozu translated.
"Denki Jiro, formerly Kaminari."
"Please tell us what your life is like in the town around the Collibus Hills base."
"Oh, that's an easy one. When I wake up in the morning, I take care of my wife's needs and cravings, and then I do a couple of odd jobs around the place, from performances to training and information dealing, and then come back home to Kyoka, and then go to sleep."
"What do you mean by "your wife's needs"?"
"We're expecting. My wife is pregnant, sir. I insisted that she doesn't work for a bit."
"Oh, congratulations," Hanabata said. "Moving on, one of our reports states that you asked for the help of a few members of the SREU, while they were in the city of Portus, against their orders. Is it safe to say that your request resulted in them going on this unauthorized mission?"
Jiro's face seemed to be sour at that. "I don't understand the meaning of that question."
"According to the report, a small set of the SREU soldiers, led by Sergeant Major Katsuki Bakugou alongside Melissa Shield, used their weapons while in a foreign city within the borders of a foreign country, an act that could be misconstrued as an act of war," Hanabata said. "The SREU was essentially hired by you as if they were nothing more than mere mercenaries! What could have possibly possessed them to risk both their lives and the mission for you?!"
Once Hanabata was done talking, Yaoyorozu slowly turned towards Jiro, as she leaned in and whispered the translation. Everyone in the room could see the man's face shift between multiple emotions in a single minute: Shock, confusion, surprise, and then finally, anger.
Everyone watched intently, as Jiro then seemed to whisper something back to Yaoyorozu, who nodded and said something again. Once the two were done conversing, Jiro angrily looked back towards the members of the Diet, leaned into the microphone, and shouted in Japanese –
"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"
The feedback from the microphone caused everyone, from the members of the SREU and their guests, to Hanabata, to the Diet, to the members of the United Nations to wince in pain. Once the feedback ended, Hanabata looked dumbfounded, as he asked, "Huh? Excuse me?"
"You heard me, buddy," Jiro hissed, as Yaoyorozu translated.
Hanabata began to sweat. "Now, I'm not sure what could have upset you that much –"
"Oh, really? Then let me explain it to you in a way you can understand!" the man said, as the raven-haired soldier next to him began to translate as fast as he spoke. "My wife and unborn child were abducted by pirates, who intended to sell them into slavery! And because the Todoroki Empire is a human-supremacist country, I couldn't exactly go to the Imperials for help!"
Hanabata, and the rest of the Diet, balked at that. "Uh, I –"
"Oh, I'm not done talking yet!" Jiro barked, as he kept going. "The only ones who helped me were the SREU! They came alongside me as we infiltrated the pirate stronghold, killed as many of those bastards as we could, rescued my family, and brought down their whole operation in a single day! All while the local law enforcement didn't even bother to lift a finger!"
"I'm sorry, I –"
"Katsuki Bakugou and his allies saved my family that day, and all they wanted in return was for us to come back to the Collibus Hills to build a better future with them! Their story will be sung and passed down from my family and from every bard in the region, while you and the rest of you fat politicians will be remembered as just another faceless bastard we had to deal with! The SREU, the Dungeon Crawlers, the Arms of Fire… THEY'RE OUR HEROES! "
As everyone in the room remained silent at what just happened, Yaoyorozu guided Jiro back to his seat, as she then went back and leaned into the microphone. "I should take this opportunity today to let the Diet know that multiple sources have confirmed that the Todoroki Empire does indeed practice slavery, along with the imprisonment of political opponents and dissidents with no due process, and have no respect for sovereign borders, which they constantly invade."
Hanabata shook his head, as he focused back at the moment at hand. "Is that so?"
Yaoyorozu nodded. "Yes. However, that being said, these practices are ordered and carried out by the minority of the ruling classes, led by Emperor Enji Todoroki and a large percentage of the military, and do not reflect every citizen within the Empire. As requested, I would like to now ask Princess Fuyumi Todoroki to take the stand for the final testimony of the session."
The room murmured at the sound of that, as a woman with red and white hair, wearing a vest that many would consider something a royal of the modern age would wear, stood up, and walked towards the stand. "I apologize in advance for my accent," she said, in Japanese. "I began to learn your language three days ago and, while not completely fluent, have been able to write a speech that should be understood not just by your nation, but by every nation."
The room died down, as Fuyumi Todoroki took a deep breath, and began.
"My father met my mother on the battlefield," she began. "The lands of the Himura Clan were merely another conquest for my father, but one he considered his greatest achievement, as this was the place where he would meet, for the first time in his life, someone capable of defeating him. The two of them clashed, and their battle was so devastating, that the locals have referred to it as the "Day of Red Earth and Sky" for years on end. When it was over, the Himura people belonged to the Todoroki Empire, and my mother was made Empress, not out of any genuine love, but because my father respected her power, and wanted it for himself."
"When it came to succession, it was a constant battle. Whether it was because I was the oldest child after we lost Touya, or because Natsuo was the oldest male heir, or because our youngest sibling, Shoto, was the strongest of the four of us, it didn't matter. To our father, we were merely tools to be used, either as weapons to be deployed on the battlefield, marriage offers to anyone who would be able to make our nation even more powerful, or simply next-in-line, to rule his Empire as his legacy. Eventually, that sort of lifestyle broke our mother, who poured boiling water on Shoto's face, and was then locked in a tower by our father to this very day."
"With my older brother gone and my youngest one scarred, I decided that enough was enough. I began to conspire to overthrow my father alongside Shoto and Natsuo. We knew that we would never be able to confront our father at the time, so we waited for the right time to strike, and prepared for when that day would arrive. As the years went by, we gathered more allies, from those beyond our borders, to those within our own ranks, such as the woman I love, Moe. But then… one day, we hear stories of an army capable of repelling our father's armies that came from the Collibus Hill Gate; an army that had sent its soldiers into our continent, but… rather than act as conquerors, like how the Empire did, they acted as liberators, as heroes."
"We heard tale of Momo Yaoyorozu, the Night-Haired Warrior that traveled with a celestial companion from place to place, fighting against some of the most legendary beings in our world, from Demon Lords to the undead, fierce warriors and misbegotten pirates; we knew they were our greatest hope. When my father imprisoned Lady Yaoyorozu, we worked together, both my rebellion and the SREU, to rescue her and bring down Tartarus, and now, I am here, as far away from my home as I can be, with only my youngest brother, asking you to help us!"
"As the Princess of the Todoroki Empire, I ask of you, please, help us! Help us end my father's cruelty and his mentality of the strong lording over the weak! Help us put an end to the Imperial madness of endless conquest and wars! Help us bring about a new age of compassion and kindness! HELP US BRING TOGETHER OUR TWO WORLDS, AS ONE!"
The thunderous applause Fuyumi heard was certainly a positive response.
Watching the recording of the meeting, Rikiya Yotsubashi had to admit, he was impressed. "Well done, Hanabata. It seems that we managed to gain an unexpected ally, thanks to you."
"I did my best to rile up the musician as best as I could; though, I might have lost a few popularity points due to coming off as insensitive," Hanabata admitted.
"True, but thanks to his outburst, along with Lieutenant Yaoyorozu's juicy bits of information, the whole world now knows what sort of nation the Todoroki Empire is truly like," Chikazoku said. "This will make Japan's assistance in the princess' coup appear far more justified."
"Indeed," Yotsubashi said, smiling. "Just imagine it: Japan and the Empire, a strong alliance built on the foundations of freedom, friendship, and of course… economic growth! Perfect for both Detnerat and Feel Good, Inc. to swoop in with their new Special Region-based products!"
Chikazoku grinned. "Yes, yes. Business will soon be booming!"
Author's Note: Okay, so, depending on where you are in the world, this chapter might be coming out a day earlier, but it was either that or a day later, and the choice was a pretty easy one. Anyways, I hope that this chapter was enjoyable for y'all.
So, to recap, Momo and friends have testified before the whole world (which may have resulted in military action against the Todoroki Empire), Eri has arrived at the Collibus Hills and has met Kota (I told you he'd be relevant), and the old rich dudes are gonna be making a profit. And speaking of profits, it's time for mine… the comments!
valkrus: Let's look at this from his perspective: He has been constantly second-guessing whether or not he should have let the so-called "monster" from Musutafu leave, and during that time, said "monster" has been saving his life for a reason he himself couldn't understand (as he believed he didn't deserve it). When he finally got a chance to talk to her without running away, it finally hit him that, while she did save his life as payment for sparing her's, she began to care about him on a more intimate level, and he began to realize that he kinda felt the same way. Anyways, after what was essentially months of bare-minimum contact, it's sorta understandable that the hormone would take over by that point. Also, I fixed the typo (I can't believe I goofed up like that again). See ya.
Honey- (Guest): Momo's slowly becoming desensitized to everything this world can throw at her (for now), but I honestl;y have no explanation for Kirishima's antics outside of a bad case of love. Hopefully all future chapters will be as funny as the last one.
GreenBoy9000: The coup's coming soon, please bear with me for now.
Zeref78: No.
VinHD15: Pretty much. Expect a child by the end of this story.
aba (Guest): Oh, trust me, the first two chapters are absolutely nothing compared to the insanity the rest of the story is. Let me know at what point you are now!
Anyways, back to the regular old shilling…
I'm pretty sure as you all know now, I have also made a Twitter account to post my art, so if anyone is interested in checking it out, /ErnaloreProf is the link.
If you want more content, visit my Discord, the link is /3PFYSt8Dqz. You can chat with others, post memes, fanfic recommendations and prompts, role play, fan art, and we even have a writer's corner now! I'll also drop by with announcements and chat with you all every now and then! Also, if you want to add me as a friend, my username is Ernalore#8663! Just please make sure to follow the rules.
Thanks for reading, and once again, see you next time!
- Ernalore